Ophiopogon plant named ‘HOCF’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ophiopogon  plant named ‘HOCF’ characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly arching plant habit; freely clumping habit; large dark-green colored foliage; long racemes with numerous white-colored flowers; numerous large violet blue-colored fruits; and resistance to  Anthracnose .

Botanical designation: Ophiopogon jaburan.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HOCF’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ophiopogon plant, botanically known as Ophiopogon jaburan, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name HOCF.

The new Ophiopogon is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Seneca, S.C. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Ophiopogon cultivars with larger leaves, larger flowers, cold hardiness and disease resistance.

The new Ophiopogon originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventors in Seneca, S.C. in 1990 of an unnamed selection of Ophiopogon jaburan, not patented. The cultivar HOCF was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled environment in Seneca, S.C. in 1993.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by divisions in Seneca, S.C. since March, 1995, has shown that the unique features of this new Ophiopogon are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar HOCF have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HOCF’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HOCF’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly arching plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping habit.     -   3. Large dark-green colored foliage.     -   4. Long racemes with numerous white-colored flowers.     -   5. Numerous large violet blue-colored fruits.     -   6. Resistant to Anthracnose.

Plants of the new Ophiopogon can be compared to plants of the parent, the unnamed selection of Ophiopogon jaburan. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Seneca, S.C., plants of the new Ophiopogon differed from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had larger and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Ophiopogon developed larger clumps than         plants of the parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had longer flower racemes with         larger and more flowers per raceme than plants of the parent         selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had outwardly arching and         dropping flower scapes whereas plants of the parent selection         had upright flower scapes.     -   5. Plants of the new Ophiopogon produced larger and more fruits         per flower than plants of the parent selection.     -   6. Plants of the new Ophiopogon and the parent selection         differed in fruit coloration.     -   7. Plants of the new Ophiopogon were more cold hardy than plants         of the parent selection.

Plants of the new Ophiopogon can be compared to plants of the Ophiopogon jaburan cultivar Vittatus (non patented). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Seneca, S.C., plants of the new Ophiopogon differed from plants of the cultivar Vittatus in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had longer and narrower leaves         than plants of the cultivar Vittatus.     -   2. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had dark green-colored leaves         whereas plants of the cultivar Vittatus had green and white         variegated leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Ophiopogon were stronger and longer-lived         than plants of the cultivar Vittatus.     -   4. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had more and longer flower         scapes, longer flower racemes and more flowers per raceme than         plants of the cultivar Vittatus.     -   5. Plants of the new Ophiopogon produced larger and more fruits         per flower than plants of the cultivar Vittatus.     -   6. Plants of the new Ophiopogon and the cultivar Vittatus         differed in fruit coloration.     -   7. Plants of the new Ophiopogon were more cold hardy than plants         of the cultivar Vittatus.

Plants of the new Ophiopogon can also be compared to plants of the Ophiopogon planiscapus cultivar Nigrecens (non patented). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Seneca, S.C., plants of the new Ophiopogon differed from plants of the cultivar Nigrecens in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Nigrecens.     -   2. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had dark green-colored leaves         whereas plants of the cultivar Nigrecens had dark blue to almost         black-colored leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Ophiopogon produced larger clumps than         plants of the cultivar Nigrecens.     -   4. Plants of the new Ophiopogon had more and longer flower         scapes, longer flower racemes and more flowers per raceme than         plants of the cultivar Nigrecens.     -   5. Plants of the new Ophiopogon produced larger fruits than         plants of the cultivar Nigrecens.     -   6. Plants of the new Ophiopogon and the cultivar Nigrecens         differed in fruit coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ophiopogon.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typical two-year old flowering plants of the new Ophiopogon grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a side perspective view of a typical four-year old plant of ‘HOCF’ with fruits grown in a container.

The photograph on the third page is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HOCF’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in Seneca, S.C. in one-quart containers and ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from −5° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from −20° C. to 35° C. Plants were grown under 50 percent shade. Plants used for the description were about three years old.

-   Botanical classification: Ophiopogon jaburan cultivar HOCF. -   Parentage: Self-pollination of an unnamed selection of Ophiopogon     jaburan selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at 32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             months at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, coarse, fibrous; 156D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching             flowering plant. Long-lived perennial plant. Plants tufted             or cespitose with basal leaves and central flowering scapes             with flowers arranged in long drooping racemes. Freely             clumping habit, about three to six basal off-shoots are             produced each growing season. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Crop time.—From divisions, usually about 12 to 15 months are             required to produce finished flowering plants in containers.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 40 to             90 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 to 80 cm.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Simple; basal; sessile. Length: About             79 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Rounded             subulate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous, smooth; relatively thick and leathery.             Texture, lower surface: Glabrous, fluted; relatively thick             and leathery. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: 141A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: 137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 131A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 137A. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Inflorescences scapose with single             campanulate flowers; flowers arranged in long racemes on             long, outwardly arching and drooping scapes. Flowers not             fragrant; flowers not persistent. Flowers face mostly             downward.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in the late summer             in South Carolina.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four days.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 12 to 15 cm. Width: About             3 to 4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.5 to 9 mm. Diameter: About 4.5             to 5 mm. Shape: Urceolate. Color: 155C.         -   Flowers.—Quantity of flowers per inflorescence: Freely             flowering, about 100 to 120. Shape: Campanulate. Diameter:             About 1.2 cm. Depth (height): About 8 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Three per flower. Length: About 8 mm.             Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded and             keel-shaped. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; thick and waxy. Color: When             opening, upper surface: 155C. When opening, lower surface:             155A. Fully opened, upper surface: 157C; color becoming             closer to 159C with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: 155A. Depth (height): About 8 cm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: Three per flower; fused. Length: About             6.5 mm. Tube diameter: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; thick and waxy. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: 155C. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 155C.         -   Scape.—Angle: About 30° to 60° from vertical. Strength:             Strong; flexible. Length: About 55 to 65 cm. Diameter: About             7.5 mm. Texture: Fluted, glabrous; thick and leathery.             Color: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 30° to 90° from raceme axis.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter:             About 0.6 mm. Texture: Fluted, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther             diameter: About 0.7 to 1 mm. Anther color: 151C. Amount of             pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: 151C. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Length: About 4 to 5 mm. Stigma shape:             Botuliform. Stigma color: 151A. Style length: About 6 mm.             Style color: 155A. Ovary color: 155C.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One to three. Length: About 9             to 14 mm. Diameter: About 8 to 11 mm. Texture: Smooth, waxy.             Color: 95B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: One. Length: About 9 to 11 mm.             Diameter: About 6 to 9 mm. Color: 155C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ophiopogon have been     observed to be resistant to Anthracnose. Resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Ophiopogon has not been determined. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ophiopogon have been     observed to tolerate high temperatures of 40° C. and have been     observed to be hardy to USDA Zone 6B. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ophiopogon plant named ‘HOCF’, as illustrated and described. 